Recommendations
Bottle Name: Glen Scotia 25 year old
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region: Campbeltown Age: 25
I often wonder how whisky enthusiasts coped before the Internet was around to help guide them through the their malt journeys. I imagine word of mouth was even more important back then for learning about new expressions and expanding ones whisky horizons. But, the Internet has not changed palates and personal opinions – it just offers an ever increasing number of distinctive interpretations all at a mouse click. But, the point still remains – tasting notes on whisky website and blogs, however individual, are there to assist you with your malt exploration.
I hope that by now, a few of you have read a tasting note on The Dramble and thought “I like the sound of that, I should look to try it in the future”. It’s the same for me – I regularly catch up with other’s notes, not just to see their scores or attempt to gauge what’s hot and what’s not – but to get a steer as to which liquid journeys sound appealing to my particular taste and palate.
So, that brings us onto today’s posting, which comes to you because of this video on the Whisky Wednesday channel. Phil Dwyer’s weekly vblog has been one of my regular watches for a number of years (the channel used to be headed by Joe Ellis when he worked at Hard to Find Whisky in Birmingham). When Phil gets particularly effusive about a whisky, I tend to listen in closely. And Phil lavished on this bottle of Glen Scotia 25 year old. Big time. So, no questions, recommendation taken, I simply had to experience this myself…
Nose: Delicate and sophisticated. Golden syrup, malts and cereals are backed up by light sea breeze and a cooling peat smoke which is part medicinal, part herbal, almost mentholated in character. There’s some hints at age here with dusty leather-bound books, oil paints, windowlene and an intriguing plasticene aroma. Vanilla and light woodiness can be detected throughout. Halfway between sitting by a fireside in an old library and walking alongside a bubbling stream whilst the dying embers of a campfire finally fade away.
Taste: Oils and polish make for a full mouthfeel, but one which is never aggressive or cloying. There’s an almost Cognac-like quality to this with sharp grape and citrus juices mixing with herbal smoke and sappy, resinous wood. Toffee apples, dusty books and leather again, and now some spicing in the form of pepper and ginger. These all make for a wonderful interplay between sweeter notes and bitter, drier ones. Underlying there’s a chalky earthiness which marries excellently with the smoke which is still on the down low, but ever-present throughout the palate – it’s both coastal and inland, with some sharper notes of medicine and iodine, and others deeper ones which offer more pungency as one might expect of a whisky from Campbeltown.
Finish: Medium to long with a lovely progressive fade in the back of the palate. Wisps of smouldering oak smoke and a touch of white pepper.
Glen Scotia 25 year old is complex, elegant and highly refined. The 48.8% ABV is incredibly well judged, offering crispness of flavours and character, without ever feeling over-powered or aggressive. Classy stuff indeed. Class rarely comes cheap and such is the case here – a look online shows a fair bit of price variance for this one from £250 upwards to almost £300 at some outlets. But, if you’re looking for an indulgence look no further. Excellent.
Score: 90/100
But don't take our word for it..
We don't have any links to other reviews for this bottle. Let us know if you have one. Click here
Recent Tastings
Distilleries
Bottlers
Scotland (1220)
Aberfeldy (9)
Aberlour (14)
Ailsa Bay (3)
Allt-a-Bhainne (11)
Ardbeg (19)
Ardmore (22)
Ardnamurchan (7)
Arran (29)
Auchentoshan (8)
Auchroisk (10)
Aultmore (10)
Balblair (17)
Balmenach (7)
Balvenie (11)
Ben Nevis (11)
Benriach (11)
Benrinnes (15)
Benromach (9)
Bladnoch (5)
Blair Athol (10)
Bowmore (20)
Braeval (7)
Bruichladdich (22)
Bunnahabhain (51)
Caledonian (1)
Cambus (4)
Cameronbridge (3)
Caol Ila (49)
Caperdonich (7)
Cardhu (1)
Clynelish (22)
Convalmore (1)
Cragganmore (12)
Craigellachie (17)
Daftmill (4)
Dailuaine (11)
Dallas Dhu (2)
Dalmore (17)
Dalmunach (2)
Dalwhinnie (3)
Deanston (7)
Dufftown (4)
Dumbarton (2)
Edenmill (1)
Edradour (19)
Fettercairn (12)
Girvan (3)
Glen Albyn (1)
Glen Elgin (7)
Glen Garioch (6)
Glen Grant (17)
Glen Keith (1)
Glen Moray (26)
Glen Ord (4)
Glen Scotia (19)
Glen Spey (8)
Glenallachie (9)
Glenburgie (7)
Glencadam (9)
Glendronach (9)
Glendullan (6)
Glenfarclas (24)
Glenfiddich (5)
Glenglassaugh (4)
Glengoyne (14)
Glengyle (6)
Glenkinchie (3)
Glenlivet (16)
Glenlossie (12)
Glenmorangie (8)
Glenrothes (14)
Glentauchers (9)
Glenturret (10)
Hazelburn (2)
Highland Park (31)
Imperial (5)
Inchgower (2)
Invergordon (4)
Isle of Jura (3)
Kilchoman (9)
Kingsbarns (1)
Knockando (1)
Knockdhu (7)
Lagavulin (3)
Laphroaig (32)
Linkwood (14)
Littlemill (2)
Loch Lomond (30)
Lochnagar (1)
Longmorn (13)
Longrow (4)
Macallan (12)
Macduff (7)
Mannochmore (7)
Miltonduff (8)
Mortlach (12)
North British (8)
Oban (3)
Old Pulteney (21)
Port Dundas (1)
Port Ellen (3)
Royal Brackla (4)
Scapa (1)
Speyburn (9)
Speyside (1)
Springbank (15)
St Magdalene (1)
Strathclyde (4)
Strathisla (6)
Strathmill (5)
Talisker (8)
Tamdhu (4)
Teaninich (6)
Tobermory (38)
Tomatin (13)
Tomintoul (6)
Tormore (8)
Tullibardine (8)
Undisclosed (9)
Undisclosed Speyside (11)
Wolfburn (3)
Canada (3)
Gretzky Estate (1)
Hiram Walker (1)
Europe (42)
Cotswolds (3)
Lakes Distillery (1)
Langatun (6)
Locher (1)
Mackmyra (15)
Penderyn (3)
Smogen (4)
Zuidam (1)
Ireland (65)
Bushmills (8)
Dingle (1)
Midleton (33)
Shed Distillery (1)
Teeling (6)
Tullamore (1)
Japan (42)
Chichibu (14)
Chita (1)
Chugoku Juzo (1)
Eigashima (1)
Fuji Gotemba (1)
Hakushu (2)
Miyagikyo (3)
Monde Shuzo (1)
Nikka (Blended) (4)
Osumi Shuzo (1)
Shinshu Mars (1)
Yamazaki (2)
Yoichi (2)
Rest of the World (10)
Dunedin (1)
Indri (1)
James Sedgwick (2)
Starward (1)
Taiwan (8)
King Car (6)
Nantou (2)
USA (41)
Balcones (1)
Bernheim (2)
Buffalo Trace (5)
Cascade Hollow (1)
Four Roses (1)
Heaven Hill (6)
High West (1)
James E. Pepper (3)
Jim Beam (1)
Limestone Branch (1)
Lux Row (4)
Middle West (1)
Old Forester (1)
Smooth Ambler (1)
Stranahan's (1)
Uncle Nearest (1)
Undisclosed (1)
Wild Turkey (4)